GROUP RULES:

Strike 1.) If a group member fails to complete their assignment, then they'll just have to sit and listen while the other group members discuss the book.

Strike 2.) If a group member fails to complete the given assignment again, they will have to do double the work for the next week.

Strike 3.) The third time a group member forgets their work, they'll have to do everyone's work for the next week.

JOBS FOR WEEK 1:

Nikki (Group Leader)- This group member will be responsible for both keeping the group on task throughout the meeting as well as responding to the week's topical questions, listed above.

Alessandra (Quotation Finder)- This group member will be responsible for finding 5 important, meaningful quotations from their section of text. They will also facilitate a discussion regarding these quotes.
  1. “For him, these were the most precious moments. Time for himself. Time to be. Time to think. But most of all, time for his most important activity, hidden deep in the woods.”
  2. “Charlie pulled out two tickets from the pocket of his jacket. Red Sox tickets. They were playing the Yankees. Boston was on a roll and the evil Bronx bombers had lost eleven of their last thirteen.”
  3. “A great moon floated on the Saugus River, and he rolled down the window ‘look,’ he said. ‘Its bigger tonight. Must be closer to us.’”
  4. “Charlie raced the moon, and in the final second before the end, he saw the perfect image of happiness. Sam’s innocent face looking up at him. The curl dangling over his forehead. The Rawlings glove on his hand. And then there was only fracturing glass, metal, and blackness”
  5. “And then a little miracle happened just as it did every night at sundown. Sam St. Cloud stepped from the gloom of the forest and picked up the ball. He was unchanged after all these years, still twelve years old with untamed brown curls and a Rawlings baseball mit under his skinny arm.”


Nikki & Alexis (Key Questioner)- This group member will be responsible for providing 5 open-ended questions regarding the week's reading section. These questions, and their responses, will be posted on the group's wiki.

Nikki:
1. What do you think will happen when Tess gets back to shore?
Tick will be mad, and she won't go on the trip around the world ALONE. she might take someone with her.
2. Do you think Charlie feels guilt over Sam Dying? Why or Why not?
Absolutely, because it was his idea to go, and he is still reliving things how they were when Sam was alive.
3. Why do you think that Charlie plays 'catch' in the model of his old backyard every evening after work?
Denial because he still thinks Sam is with him.
4. Do you think Forrio gets too invested in work and linking it religiously? Why or why not?
No. Whatever gives him faith.
5. How do you think various characters cope with loss and guilt?
Tess used her dad as motivation. Tick will feel guilty for allowing Tess to sail on her own.

1. Do you think Charlie made the right choice when he decided to take Mrs. Pungs wagon to the Red Sox game?
No, I do not think Charlie made the right choice when deciding to take Mrs. Pungs wagon to the Red Sox game.
2. What is the purpose of a “draw” according to Charlie and Sam?
The purpose of a “draw” is to debate what they are arguing about later.
3. Do you believe that the moon was the cause to why Charlie and Sam crashed?
No, but it played a role as to why Charlie and Sam crashed.
4. Who is Tess and what role does she play in Charlie St Cloud?
Tess is the sailor girl, and her role will be showed later in the story.
5. Who is the woman Charlie recognizes at the graveyard? What is her reaction when Charlie says its Charlie St Cloud?
The woman Charlie recognizes at the graveyard is his 10th grade English teacher. She is shocked to have seen Charlie as she had wondered what happened to him.


Teresa (Group Summarizer)- This group member will be responsible for posting a thorough, two-paragraph summary of the group's Friday meeting, to be posted on the group wiki no later than the Sunday following the meeting.

WEEK TWO:

A. Group Leader- Ali


B. Quotation Finder- Alexis


  1. “It had been there ritual for thirteen years. And their secret too. Every evening they came together to play.”
  2. “Charlie swore he would never tell another soul about Sam. They’d only call him crazy. They’d never understand. It would be his secret forever. A secret that would govern his days and nights A secret he would conceal beneath a carefully constructed carapace of charm.”
  3. “And then he realized: Florio was the fireman who saved his life.”
  4. “What was foremost in her throbbing brain was that she was back on solid ground exactly where she wanted to be: Waterside Cemetery near her father. She sat in the mottled shade under the maple next to his grave.”
  5. “She was more lovely, more real than anyone he had known in a long time.”


C. Key Questioner- Teresa
Questions:
  1. How do you think Charlie felt after speaking with Florio? Why do you think he felt this way?
We think Charlie felt awkward and upset at the same time. He was thinking why Sam not him. He probably felt this way because Florio was the paramedic that saved his life.
2. What does Charlie think will happen if he stops going to the cemetery?
That Sam’s spirit will go away.
  1. Why does Charlie feel like he can’t tell anyone about Sam and their secret meetings?
They will think he is crazy again and he doesn’t want to face those consequences.
  1. Do you think Tess was excited to go on a date with Charlie? How would you have felt in her situation?
I think she was happy and thought it could be a fun night. I would be very excited to go on a date with Charlie.
  1. How does Tink feel about Tess? Did she feel the same way?
He has a crush on her, but he knows she is just like a kid sister to him. Tess does not feel the same way about Tink, she views him as a brother.



D. Summarizer- Nikki

This week in book club, everyone contributed a lot. We discussed not only what we were confused about in the book, but how we would have felt if we were in the characters' position. As the book goes on, it is getting better, and we all agree on that fact. Teresa discussed her questions, and everyone spoke their view points. We mostly agreed on the answers, though some varied in small ways. We also discussed why Alexis picked the quotes she did, and we all agree they were ones that represented that part of the book well. Overall, it was a good week in book club.


WEEK THREE:

A. Group leader: Alexis

B. Quotation Finder- Teresa
1) "The moon was invisible behind the clouds, great walls of darkness closed in on every side, and Charlie led the way across the lawn."
2) "Tess started to laugh. " Be still my heart," she said.
3) "Guys would come and go and maybe even break her heart, but Bobo was always true."
4) "Its Querencia," he said 'Tess Carroll's boat is missing.'"
5) "The blue of the ocean seemed more vivid than ever, and the sails on the boats shone like mirrors against the sun."



C. Key Questioner- Nikki

1. How do you think that Charlie is coping with his brother's death?
He is doing well because his brother is still alive in his mind.
2. What do you think of the book so far?
It is unique from any books ever read. It's a good read.
3. How would you handle everything if you were Charlie?
You'd to continue to leave things as it is, but you would eventually have to move on.
4. If you were Charlie, would you move away?
We are half in half. Nikki and Theresa say they would stay for a while, until the pressure of all the memories becomes too much, and finally move away. Alexis and Ali think they would stay, no matter the bad and good memories.
5. Would you recommend this book and why?
Yes. Because it makes you think of things you haven't before.

D. Summarizer- Ali
This week’s book club meeting was the 3rd week we read Charlie Saint Cloud. During this week's meeting I was the Summarizer, Teresa was the Quotation Finder, Alexis was the group leader and Nikki was the Key Questioner. We began the book club meeting by breaking out the snacks and talking about what we read. Next we answered the questions that Nikki picked for us this week. We wrote the answers we chose above. Then we let Teresa read the quotes she found most interesting and important. Then we talked a little about each to get a feel of why Teresa chose them. Finally we discussed the book further and talked about the good and bad points we liked about this section.

WEEK FOUR:

A. Group Leader: Teresa

B. Quotation Finder-Nikki
"Everything was less substantial. It took a moment to process, but then she realized."
"She was beginning to fade away."
"It made no sense. Sam had promised the timing would be her decision."
"She didn't know what to do, but there he was with his arms open."
"His strength was impressive, and his instincts were very, very good."

C. Question Finder- Ali

1. If you were in Tess's position, what would you believe because people were ignoring you and not seeing your reflection?
We agreed she would be frightened, and not understand why everyone was acting the way they were.
2. Do you think Charlie is crazy or does he really see his brother?
Overall, we believe he truly sees his brother. After all, he was dead for a period of time himself.
3. If you were Tess, what would be the first thing you would think of if you knew you were dead?
We all thought different things.
Alexis: Panic. Try and figure out what's going on.
Nikki: Ask what I could do, and if I could prank people?
Ali: Freaked out and nervous. Upset
Teresa: Try to figure out things, and find out how to get myself out of the situation.
4. Why do you think Charlie was so attracted to Tess? When the first second he saw her why did he decide to ask her on a date?
We thought, true romantics at heart, that it was love at first sight. That and a curiosity that drew them both.
5. How do you think Same feels about Tess and Charlie?

We also think that Sam would become jealous of his brother's attention being directed to other ghosts.


D. Summarizer-Alexis
This weeks book was our 4th book club meeting of reading Charlie St. Cloud. I was the Group Summarizer, Nikki was the Quotation Finder, Alessandra was the Key Questioner and Teresa was the Group Leader. Alessandra asked the questions she had chosen, and we discussed our answers. Next, Nikki read the quotes that she had chosen. Together we shared how we felt about the 4th section of the book.

Week Five
A. Group Leader- Nikki

B. Quotation Finder- Alessandra

C. Key Questioner-Alexis
1. What was your reaction to the ending?
Our reaction to the ending was amazed, and shocked. We would never have expected the ending to end the way it did.
2. Would you recommend this book to others?
Yes, we would definitely recommend this book to others.
3. Was Tess able to come back to life? What was your reaction to this?
Yes, Tess was able to come back to life. My reaction to this was shocked.
4. Why is Charlie technically considered a hero?
For going out and finding Tess, and never giving up.
5. Now that you’ve read the ending, would you change any part of the story?
Now that we’ve read the ending, we would not change any part of the story. The way the story ended was completely shocking and amazing and should not be changed.

D. Sumerizer- Teresa